Survivin is an intracellular protein that belongs to a family of apoptosis inhibitors. Survivin acts in concert with the mitotic spindle apparatus to regulate cell division. It is expressed in certain cells during the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and associates with the spindle microtubule organizing center during this phase of cell cycle progression. Survivin functions in critical roles at a number of different cellular loci to regulate the cell cycle and to inhibit apoptotic cell death. It is frequently expressed by cancer cells of many different types, but uncommonly by normal adult tissues. Survivin peptide sequences have been used to develop vaccination strategies. While the survival of patients with some cancers has improved, challenges remain, particularly for those with advanced disease at diagnosis. As such, there continues to be a need to develop additional strategies to combat cancer.